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Optical / Infrared Databases and Catalogs

ASTR 288C: Lecture 2

Astronomical Databases

Most public astronomical data available on the Web

Observations

Journals (usually require subscription)

Images

Spectra

Catalogs

Database is a collection of structured data stored electronically, with an interface enabling the data to be searched.

Com

plex

ity

Some popular optical and infrared databases/interfaces:

SIMBAD

STScI DSS (optical)

Spitzer

Astronomical Databases

Gator (infrared)

2MASS

IRAS

3.6 – 160 µm

1.2 – 2.2 µm (J,H,K)

12 – 100 µm

POSS2 / UKSTU

POSS1

“B”,“R”,“I”

“B”,“R”

Dat

aset

s

NED (deferred to Lecture 3)

ADS (deferred to Lecture 7)

SIMBAD

http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/

SIMBAD

Search by: Identifier Coordinates Criteria

http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/

SIMBAD

Search by: Identifier

http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/

SIMBAD

IC 5146

Search by: Identifier

SIMBAD

SIMBAD

Search by: Coordinates

http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/

SIMBAD

Search by: Coordinates

SIMBAD

http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/

Search by: Criteria

SIMBAD

Search by: Criteria

ra > 328.0193 & ra < 328.7191 & dec > 47.0194 & dec < 47.4940

SIMBAD

STScI DSS

http://stdatu.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss_form

STScI DSS

http://stdatu.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss_form

RA

Dec

.

IC 5146: POSS2 “Red”

28.5’ x 28.5’ field centered on

21h 53m 28.4s +47° 15’ 23” (J2000)

STScI DSS

http://stdatu.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss_form

RA

Dec

.

IC 5146: POSS2 “Red”

28.5’ x 28.5’ field centered on

21h 53m 28.4s +47° 15’ 23” (J2000)

STScI DSS

http://stdatu.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss_form

RA

Dec

.

IC 5146: POSS2 BRI

28.5’ x 28.5’ field centered on

21h 53m 28.4s +47° 15’ 23” (J2000)

Astronomical Image Format: FITS Files and ds9

http://hea-www.harvard.edu/RD/ds9

FITS = Flexible Image Transport System SAOImage ds9 is a common viewer

Image The Data! Pixels

Header “Metadata” Astrometry Filter, etc.

Astronomical Image Format: FITS Files and ds9

Header

Astronomical Image Format: FITS Files and ds9

Keywords Each limited to 8 characters

Header FILTER

Astronomical Image Format: FITS Files and ds9

Keyword Values

Keywords Each limited to 8 characters

Unlimited number of characters

Header FILTER ‘GG395 ’

Astronomical Image Format: FITS Files and ds9

Keyword Values

Header

Keywords Each limited to 8 characters

Unlimited number of characters

Keyword Comments Unlimited number of characters

FILTER ‘GG395 ’ Detector: Filter

Gator

http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/applications/Gator

NASA/IPAC’s Catalog Search Engine for Infrared Data

Gator

http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/applications/Gator

NASA/IPAC’s Catalog Search Engine for Infrared Data

Spitzer 2MASS

IRAS (3.6 – 160 µm) (1.2 – 2.2 µm)

(12 – 100 µm)

Gator

http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/applications/Gator

NASA/IPAC’s Catalog Search Engine for Infrared Data

2MASS (1.2 – 2.2 µm)

Gator

2MASS (1.2 – 2.2 µm) Point Source Catalog (PSC)

Gator

2MASS (1.2 – 2.2 µm) Point Source Catalog (PSC)

Gator

2MASS (1.2 – 2.2 µm) Point Source Catalog (PSC)

Coordinates

Box Size

21h53m28.4s +47d15m23s

855 arcsec

Gator

2MASS (1.2 – 2.2 µm) Point Source Catalog (PSC)

Coordinates

Box Size

Catalog Output Selections

21h53m28.4s +47d15m23s

855 arcsec

Gator

2MASS (1.2 – 2.2 µm) Point Source Catalog (PSC)

Quick View of Results

Figure showing distribution of first 100 sources in returned catalog

Gator

Returned Catalog

Header

Data